Blues at a loose end

The Blues are set to dip into their wider training group to resolve a loose forward crisis that has struck their Super 14 rugby campaign at just the wrong time.

Coach Pat Lam will have just one of his five contracted loose forwards to choose from when naming his team on Wednesday for Friday’s vital match against the competition-leading Hurricanes in Wellington.

Medical staff were to assess the damage on Monday but it appears the stocks will be thin.

Chris Lowrey suffered knee ligament damage early in the 31-24 loss to the Queensland Reds at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday and that is likely to rule him out for the rest of the competition while veteran flankers Josh Blackie (knee) and Justin Collins (concussion) are improbable starters.

Flanker option Onosai Auva’a has been on crutches for several weeks, leaving only All Blacks blindside flanker Jerome Kaino to choose from. And Kaino missed the Queensland match with his own knee complaint.

Reserve Peter Saili, who scored a late try against the Reds, seems to sure a start against the red-hot Hurricanes while wider training squad members Dean Budd and Tom Chamberlain will probably get a call from coaching staff.

“It’s an opportunity for someone else. There are a couple of young boys coming through,” Lam told Radio Sport.

“We selected 28 guys at the start of the year and not once have I been able to select from the full complement. We’re down to 19 now and six of the original forwards are all gone.

“In the loose forward department, it’s a big hit.”

The Hurricanes have a niggle of their own in the loose forward mix, with flanker Karl Lowe in doubt due to an ankle injury.

The third-placed Chiefs also have some concerns, with fullback Mils Muliaina (hamstring and head cut), centre Richard Kahui (ankle), first five-eighth Stephen Donald (hamstring) and hooker Hika Elliot (shoulder) all being monitored ahead of their match against the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday morning (NZ time).

The Crusaders and Highlanders reported no medical problems ahead of their respective matches against the Lions in Johannesburg and the Sharks in Durban.